Towel apron



Dec. 9, 1952 K. E. LEGG ET AL TOWEL 'APRON Filed March 1, 1952 gTORS. wig

BY Mm 2 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 9, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I TOWEL APRON Kathryn E. Legg and Harold M. Legg, Pontiac, Ill.

I Application March 1, 1952, Serial No. 274,336

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a towel garment, and more particularly to a garment which forms a protective covering for hair washing operations, hair trimming, and other operations.

An object of the present invention is to provide an absorbent garment such as a towel, with means for gathering the material closely and in folds about the neck while at the same time protecting the shoulders, etc. of the wearer. A still further object is to provide a towel garment or the like which may be readily inserted over the head of the wearer and which will gather about the neck to provide a highly absorbent body preventing the flow of water from the hair or head downwardly beyond the neck of the wearer. A still further object is to provide in such a garment effective means for turning the edge of the towel upwardly and inwardly to catch drops of water, hair, etc. and to hold the same in the absorbent upper portion of the garment. Yet another object is to provide in such a garment means for tightly securing the towel about the arms of the wearer to form a protective enclosure of the wearer's body. Yet another object is to provide a new form of towel structure serving many functions and having the characteristics which will be later described. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is shown, in an illustrative embodiment, by the accompanying drawing, in

which- I Figure 1 is a perspective view of the front of a towel garment embodying our invention; Fig. 2, a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the rear of the garment; Fig. 3, a top plan view of the garment before the same is secured upon the wearer; Fig. 4, an enlarged detail sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 44 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5, a broken perspective view of an elastic thread which is preferably used in forming the garment, and securing thread therefor.

In the illustration given, we prefer to employ an ordinary towel I having the usual rectangular shape. At an intermediate point of the towel, we form an opening II which is adapted to receive the head of the wearer, and at a short distance around the opening, we secure elastic threads I2 by means of stitching thread I3. For example, the elastic thread I2 lies on one side of i I the towel, extending in a generally circular diection, and the stitching thread I3 is passed ound the thread I2 and then through the towel y to secure the e st c thread in a li e abou the towel. Since such structure is known, a detailed description is herein believed unnecessary. In the specific form illustrated, and as is shown more clearly in Fig. 4, we provide three of the elastic threads I2 in spaced-apart relation, and these form in effect a collar which is adaptedto extend vertically about the neck of the wearer. The vertical collar provided by the three spaced elastic threads I2 is designated on the drawing by the numeral I5. Between the collar I5 and the upper edge I4 which defines the opening II, there is formed a fluted ruff or neck enclosure I6, which inclines upwardly and outwardly. The ruff thus formed is doubled upon itself and provides a thick body of toweling which is thus held closely about the neck of the wearer and above the elastic collar portion I5.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 3, we provide along each side of the towel I0 an elongated stretchof elastic thread I2 which is stitched to the towel body by the threads l3. The elastic I2 in this instance, just as in the instance of the collar-forming area I5, is secured while in stretched condition so that upon release of the elastic, the transverse waves or fiuting I! are formed which extend transversely of the towel I0. In the structure shown, the fluting. or folds I'I substantially join or unite with similar folds which extend outwardly from the central opening I I, so that in effect there are provided transverse folds or flutes which extend substantially across the towel in the general area of the neck opening and the central portion of the side elastic threads I2. We find that the material which is gathered by these generally transverse folds I1 and the folds about the neck opening I I result in shortening the towel by about onethird of its original length. Thus, in effect, onethird ofthe towel is bunched, in the form of plaits or folds, in the area around the neck and shoulders of the garment.

The end of the towel which forms'the back of the garment is preferably provided with fasteners which may be in the form of ball fasteners I8, and such fasteners engage sockets l9, as indicated best in Figs. 2 and 3. It will be understood that any means for securing the back portion of the garment in the position shown may be employed. We prefer, also, to employ an elastic thread for shortening the rear edge of the towel at 20, as shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 3.

In operation, the towel, in the open position illustrated in Fig. 3, may be drawn over the head of the wearer by stretching the elastic threads shoulders ofthe wearer.

I2, and upon being released, the threads l2 about the opening II form a vertical collar tightly enclosing the neck of the wearer while at the same time bunching the material thereabout to form the absorbent ruff I6. At the same time, the side threads ll form inwardly-extending plaits or folds which bunch the cloth upon the shoulders of the wearer and the threads also cause the outer side edges 2| of the towel to extend upwardly and outwardly over the shoulders, thus forming a protective band or border, the border being also gathered to form bunched material on the shoulders.

The wearer may then draw the rear portion 22 of the garment forwardly and secure it by means of the ball-and-socket fasteners l8 and IS in the position illustrated best in Figs. 1 and 2. This operation causes the rear portion of the towel to fit tightly against the shoulders and back of the wearer. The neck portion of the towel remains bunched not only in a folded ruff around the neck, but also transversely across the Water dripping from the head or hair is caught up quickly by the transversely-extending folds or plaits about the top of the garment while the fluted ruff about the neck checks and catches water droplets. The laterally and upwardly-extending borders 2| catch water droplets, falling hair, etc., and the transversely-extending folds provide valleys which hold the hairs, etc. upon the garment.

As a result of the use of the garment, it is found that the washing, hair trimming, or other operation is carried on withoutwater or hair, etc. being scattered over the room, and when the garment is removed, it is found that the wearer has been completely protected. When the towel garment is removed and stretched, the hairs, etc., may be readily shaken out or removed.

If desired, ball'fasteners such as l8 and I9 may be installed above those shown in'Fig. 2 to further close the garment under the arms; We prefer to have the garment with the front longer than the back so that it is more effective in protecting the clothing in the frontal area from splashing water when the wearer is washing her hair, or finger painting, pasting, golfing, etc. As a sportswear garment, the front may also be tucked into skirts, slacks, or shorts, to give a blouse effect, thus holding the garment in position and giving the gathered back a back mid-riff effect. l V

While the garment has been described particularly in connection with head or hair-washing or trimming 'c peration's, it will be obvious that it may be used for other purposes. It may be employed as beach wear, as a bib, and. as a protector when one is finger painting, pasting or water-coloring, etc., as well as for women when giving themselves facials, home permanents, or pinning up or tinting their hair. Other uses will be obvious.

By gathering the neck, a wheel-like pattern of folds is formed which substantially join or unite with similar folds extending inwardly from the shoulders and thus keeping the garment in a concentrated toweling position, where it absorbs moisture readily without producing a distortion of the folds. At the same time, the ridges formed on the top of the shoulders provide means for holding paper and curler in readiness for use while each lock of hair is being wet with the home permanent solution, etc. Further the transverse folds or ridges in the garment prevent it from lying fiat against the wearers body, and create air channels which make the garment cooler and, when the garment is being worn on the beach or in sports, etc., protect the skin from the suns rays.

While in the foregoing specification, we have set forth a specific structure in considerable detail for the purpose of illustrating an embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that such details of structuremay be varied widely by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of our invention.

We claim:

1. A towel garment, comprising an elongated towel body having sides and an opening formed centrally therebetween, an elastic member about said opening to form a neck, said elastic member being spaced inwardly from the edge about said opening to provide a fluted ruff thereabout, said elastic also formin folds extending transversely of the towel said towel body being folded upon itself transversely in line with said opening, and longitudinally-extending elastic members adjacent the central side portions of said towel on opposite sides of said opening and stitched in stretched condition to form adjacent the line of fold of saidytowel body transverselyextending folds merging with the folds of the neck portion of said garment.

2. An elongated garment formed of absorbent material having ends and sides and a head opening formed centrally thereof, elastic material spaced inwardly from the edge of said opening and secured to the garment under stretched condition to form a neck and a fluted ruff above the neck, an longitudinally-extending elastic members at a spaced distance inwardly from said garment sides on opposite sides of said opening and secured to said garment in stretched condition to form border mils and plaits extending from said border'ruffs towards said fluted neck.

3. The structure of claim 2, in which one end of the garment is contracted by means of an elastic member and'is provided with means for securing it to the other end portion of the garment.

KATHRYN E. LEGG. HAROLD M. LEGG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file Of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date I 1,669,868 Fagan May 15, 1928 2,282,183 Harris May 5, 1942 2,431,052 LaGier Nov. 18, 1947 2,446,209 Brown Aug. 3, 1948 

